Shloka 31

Devanagari script

अदितिरुवाच । भोजनान्ते शिवः शम्भुं मुखं शुद्ध्यर्थमादरात् । जलं देहि महाप्रीत्या दम्पतिप्रेम दुर्लभम्

Transliteration

aditiruvāca | bhojanānte śivaḥ śambhuṃ mukhaṃ śuddhyarthamādarāt | jalaṃ dehi mahāprītyā dampatiprema durlabham

Translation

Aditi said: “After the meal, Śivā (as the devoted wife) asks Śambhu with reverent care for water to cleanse his mouth. ‘Please give the water with great affection—such loving harmony between husband and wife is rare indeed.’”

Word by Word

• अदितिः: Aditi
• अदितिः: कर्ता (Speaker/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Speech act)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भोजनान्ते: at the end of the meal
• भोजनान्ते: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location-time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोजन + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक); भोजनान्त (समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भोजनस्य अन्ते = at the end of the meal)

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• शम्भुम्: Śambhu
• शम्भुम्: सम्प्रदान/कर्म (Addressee/Object of request)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• मुखम्: mouth/face
• मुखम्: कर्म (Karma/Object) (शुद्ध्यर्थम् इत्यर्थे)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• शुद्धि-अर्थम्: for purification
• शुद्धि-अर्थम्: प्रयोजन (Purpose adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक); शुद्ध्यर्थ (समास)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास, द्वितीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययवत् (purpose expression: 'for the sake of')

• आदरात्: out of respect
• आदरात्: हेतु (Hetu/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (as cause: 'out of')

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• देहि: give
• देहि: क्रिया (Request/command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महाप्रीत्या: with great affection
• महाप्रीत्या: करण/भाव (Instrumental of manner/feeling)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक); महाप्रीति (समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महती प्रीतिः = great affection)

• दम्पतिप्रेम: spousal love
• दम्पतिप्रेम: विषय/विशेष्य (Topic/predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम्पति + प्रेम (प्रातिपदिक); दम्पतिप्रेम (समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन (contextually predicate-noun); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दम्पत्योः प्रेम = love between spouses)

• दुर्लभम्: rare / hard to obtain
• दुर्लभम्: विशेषण (Adjective/predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with दम्पतिप्रेम)

Speaker

Aditi

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shambhu

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

The verse elevates simple household service (seva) into bhakti: caring acts done with reverence become worship of Pati (Śiva) and nurture dharmic harmony, which is described as rare and precious.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

It reflects Saguna Śiva-bhakti through intimate, personal service—offering water for purification parallels offering water (jala/abhisheka) to the Śiva-liṅga with devotion and attentiveness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice mindful water-offering as a form of seva: offer water with devotion (as in arghya/ācamanīya), remembering Śiva through the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” while maintaining purity and gratitude.